Opera's Dream Team Stars in an Opera Dream: La Sonnambula at the Metropolitan Opera with Flórez & Dessay

~*O.C.*~ is rawking exclusive pictures from the final dress rehearsal of Vincenzo Bellini's La Sonnambula at The Metropolitan Opera. Opening Monday, March 2, 2009, the production has our most favorite singers cutting up the stage: Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez and French soprano Natalie Dessay, who will be doing anything but sleepwalking through the new Mary Zimmerman production.

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(All photos credit Stephen Chernin)

Comments

[vick]

Has everyone forotten that the same cast of "stars" did it at La Scala perhaps in their "better" days?

[Hal]

I always regarded Sonnambula as less attractive an opera musically than Norma and I Puritani. It also belongs to the soprano; as I recall the tenor role is not particularly spectacular. I would guess this will be Dessay's show with Florez along for the ride, so to speak.

[Hal]

I might add that I don't regard Florez's voice the best possible for Bellini. He is probably the very best for Rossini, one of the best for Donizetti, but a bit too small, thin?, and one dimensional for Bellini. Of course his "high note" ability serves him well with Bellini also.

[Marshie]

Opening Monday, March 2, 2009, the production has our most favorite singers cutting up the stage: Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez and French actressNatalie Dessay, who will be doing anything but sleepwalking through the new Mary Zimmerman production.

[Aliprando]

But, Hal, there is Bellini and Bellini. Elvino is not Pollione, nor indeed Arturo. So far as I know, every time Florez has performed the role on stage he has had nothing but critical and public acclaim whether La Scala (to which vick refers), London, Vienna, Bilbao. His contribution on the recent Decca set with Bartoli has also, generally, been much praised: hers has been more contentious. He certainly has the notes, and is I think now giving more expressivity and "accent" (though this can only be subjective to the individual listener).
Reviewing a La Scala performance (Dessay-Florez-Pertusi)the critic of Corriere della Sera suggested Elvino was the "protagonist" of La Sonnambula and that it was the most difficult tenor role in the entire repertory. One doesn't have to go that far; but given Elvino's part in "Prendi l'anel" and the ensuing duet, "Son geloso del zefiro errante", the "stretta del Finale Primo" and, above all, the Act 2 Scena and aria "Tutto e sciolto....Perche non posso odiarti", Florez is certainly in for more than "the ride" :)
Looking forward still to the live broadcast in spite of what I've been reading about the production...

[Hal]

Alprando: point well taken. My judgment re his voice and Bellini was based mainly on his singing of Arturo. I listened to him as Elvino again on YouTube (Bilbao, 2005 and La Scala, 2001) singing "Perche non posso odiarti" and he did sound excellent in every way. I still, however, prefer Bellini's music in Puritani and Norma to Sonnambula.

[Tyler]

Thanks to OC for the pictures.. an interesting production indeed. I have several CD recordings of this opera and could spend a lot of time discussing the nuances of them - some parts of which I personally prefer over others, but Florez and Dessay are both talented, accomplished, and by all accounts, conscientous performers who have provided many hours of enjoyment to many people, including me. I'd encourage them both to keep up the good work. I'm very much looking forward to seeing this production later in March.

[David Salazar]

I was actually present at the final dress rehearsal. All that I can say is that Mary Zimmerman should be fired and that Natalie Dessay needs to protect her voice. First of all, the production was a bastardization of the entire story. Sure, the plot is lousy but the characters that inhabit that world are well defined. Amina's purity is completely destroyed. Now she is the superficial blonde that we have come to hate in society. How can we possibly identify with a character that represents the very thing we despise most in society. Adding to this destruction of Amina's character is the fact that her first aria becomes a joke. Now, Mary Zimmerman's attempt to modify the plot only results in confusion at certain parts of the opera. There is no clarity as to what the hell is going on when the count comes in. We will all recall the messy Lucia production in which the stage took more importance that the singing (Sextet!!!). Well in this production, it seems like the music is less important than the staging (which is boring). At the end of act one, there is noise, and a rotating bed that just makes the singing difficult to here (I was sitting in the Parterre section where you hear everything!). Stupid jokes run rampant. During a dramatic moment when Lisa is discovered as faithless, one person gives her a garbage can. It led to massive laughter. When Dessay sleepwalks on the skyscrapers of NY, there was more laughter and when she walked inside the room, she took chalk and literally wrote "ARIA" on the chalkboard. To add insult to injury, she then put her finger over her mouth, indicating for the rest of the chorus and us the audience to shut up. It only led to more laughter. Finally, Ms. Dessay's jumping did not serve her well as her technique seemed weakened and unsteady. "Ah non giunge" was especially disappointing vocally. As for all of the Florez detractors, all I can say is that this singer is fantastic and he only gets better and better. He stole the show and while the production overshadowed anything positive in the opera, he was quite possibly the only bright light in the show. I think Mr. Gelb needs to rethink what he does with the MEt. We need less cr+p like this and more Madama Butterfly productions like Mr. Minghella's.

[Hal]

I am not surprised, David. This sort of "non-creative destruction" of opera classics in the name of silly novelty and absurd modernization is all the rage and who will stop it? Perhaps the recesssion will prevent more "new" productions of this sort. If that doesn't do the trick, disappearing audiences would surely bring it to an end. Sad that Dessay falls in with it all. She ought to say "no".
Since singers make more from recitals and cannot tart them up with this crap, perhaps fans should beging to demand more recitals and fewer operas.

[Csaga Digby]

According to Mary Zimmerman (in the interview during "Lucia")she was planning on a traditional setting and interpretation, but Ms. Dessay dissuaded her.

[Hal]

Well then dump Dessay. She is hardly indispensable; there are others as good or better. And is Florez always so passive? Can't he steer producers to more sensible decisions? If star singers have the power to shape productions, I confess I am disappointed at some in which he has been willing to appear, like the Dresden Rigoletto or the Barcelona Cenerentola with its ghastly costumes. Speak up, Juan, and say NO.

[musicshr]

I attended the dress and it was mostly a drab production with a few wonderful moments ie the sleepwalking entrances. It is boring to me to spend 2+ hours looking at a rehearsal room full of people milling around, or just hanging out, wearing jeans, shirts and sneakers. Also the rehearsal concept does not hold together because it does not make sense as the action progresses. Even wonderful singing does not save it. In addition the pace was plodding, I suppose because of the conductor. Sonnambula is not a comedy, it is a love story, sweet and innocent. A missed opportunity and very disappointing.

[Amy]

Juan Diego was the hero of the opening. His singing was superb. The production staff, including Zimmerman, of course, was loudly booed by the Met audience who are not the fools some thought they might be.

[deadtenors]

thanks for the headsup yall. i almost took a group of students to watch this at the cinema....

[M Tyler]

I listened to the opening last night on Sirius/XM (on my car radio in the garage in the cold..) and agree with Amy that Juan Diego was excellent throughout. The booing of the Production staff was even more stunning because the ovations for Florez, Dessay and the cast were so enthusiastic. (The broadcast commentators tactfully called the booing a "mixed reaction" but said that Dessay was clapping and cheering, clearly showing that at least she liked the production.) The current run is a virtual sell-out, but I wonder if there is anything the Met can do to change the production so that it is better received in future seasons.

[Donna Anna]

Mary Zimmerman is a brilliant director for the theater. She doesn't appear to be grounded in opera to the point that she trusts the composer and the librettist. Everyone acknowledges that the plot is an excuse, at best, but that audiences have been transfixed by its music and by performances. I've been hearing a lot about the production the Met could have had, a traditional (and acclaimed) one from Vienna. Whatever. I'm going to see the HD broadcast. Like Lucia or any new production, some of the logistics may be handled more effectively but that still begs the question of the production itself. Anything this conceptual is bound to be dated and therefore less likely to be revived. If Gelb still likes what Zimmerman does, then her Armida will proceed. In the meantime, I hope she'll do some serious opera immersion. Metamorphoses was stunningly effective because Zimmerman allowed the stories to weave their own magic. The onstage pool didn't call attention to itself--it was part of the story. When Zimmerman feels this comfortable in opera, she won't need a fussy photographer or a TriBeCa rehearsal room.

[Hal]

Well did Florez clap too? I recall an instance in London when after a performance of Jonathan Miller's staging of Don Pasquale (the characters all in silly boxes) he was reported ostentatiously NOT to have clapped at the curtain for the producer.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/don-pasquale-royal-opera-house-london-672457.html

But I repeat that in general he seems too "accepting" of bizarre productions, perhaps wishing to avoid being "difficult". Cojones, Juan, speak up when necessary and say NO WAY!

[Sandy]

It's a shame the Met couldn't have left this "Sonnambula" as its sweetly sentimental self--no, one can't live on pink sugar icing, but a little taste can be very nice occasionally. The HD broadcast could have been an ideal introduction for young people, but cynical, oddball productions just make the experience confusing and unpleasant. Where do the big companies think their Holy-Grail "younger audience" is going to come from, if all they can do is shock, sneer, and jape? Because if they can't bother to take their art seriously, the kids certainly won't.

On the other hand, I'm still going--dragging a young person--and planning on blissful, total JDF immersion, even if the producer blows up the stage and brings on a chorus line of ice-skating elephants.

[Renee]

Well said, Sandy.
After listening to yesterday's soundclips on U-Tube, I am also looking forward to my JDF immersion and schlepping my cousin with me. Just in case the visuals get too insulting/confusing, I'm going to take my sleeping mask to cover my eyes (very appropriate for Sonnambula). Bring on the elephants as long as they don't interrupt JDF's singing.

[Archaeopteryx]

What has Natalie done with her hair again? She´s BLONDE!!!!

[choupi]

Natalie has been blonde for ages now...something like 8 months (since July 2008)

[Hal]

Listening to the Met radio broadcast of the opera on March 21st. During the intermission, Dessay and Florez were interviewed. I got the impression that Dessay was talking over him several times, verbally shoving him aside. Since the interview seemed rushed and a bit confused (Deborah Voigt was the interviewer)I may be wrong about this. I hope so.

[Hal]

Not to belabor the issue of the interview it occurs to me, a bit belatedly, that perhaps the reason Dessay wanted to drown out Florez's comments was to avoid any more like one that he made after she had made a big thing about wearing "her own clothes" on stage for the performance. Voigt asked Florez if he too was wearing his own clothes, and he said "well at least my own underwear." One Florez; 0 Dessay.

[CD]

Saw the HD broadcast. Noticed that Natalie wrote Elvino instead of Aria on the blackboard. It really made the tone of the scene better(truer). I wonder what other changes have been made since opening night.
The scenes are still too busy, hyperactive at times for me.

[Hal]

I took note of the applause at the end of the opera. I can only speak to what I heard over the radio, but it seemed to me there was more "pandemonium" for Florez than for Dessay, although both got enormous ovations. And one of the commentators went so far as to say that Florez's singing had been "a marvelous example of bel canto at its best" while saying nothing special about Dessay.

[Marie]

I was fortunate to see Saturday's HD broadcast live at the Met. The atmosphere in the theater on Saturday was electric - with most people realizing that the production had problems, but having come to see wonderful singing anyway. I had never seen Florez in person and he is very interesting to watch on stage - energetic, engaged and heaven to listen to. Particularly good was the duet in Act I that ends "Addio!". Also, I've seen comments that JDF's voice is "small" in person compared to others but that was definitely not the case. I've been to the Met five times now and JDF was as loud or louder than any of the tenors I've seen (and much louder than one in particular who I won't name..). Dessay was excellent on-stage, and didn't play Amina as nearly as much of a diva as had been said in other comments. Setting aside production problems, "Sonnambula" is full of beautiful music and wonderful singing. To those going to remaining performances, suspend disbelief, and enjoy, enjoy.

[Sharon E.]

I recently saw the HD version of LaSon, the staging was as bad as previous comments mentioned. It was like the most terrible Eurotrash production. Too many distractions undermined the singing. The worst was noisy dancers behind Dessay and Florez. Mary Zimmerman is an innovative and compelling director. I have seen several of her stage productions here in Chicago, but she needs to take Opera Directing 101!

[Hal]

I just happened onto the info that Zimmerman also staged the Lucia this winter at the Met (jan/feb 2009) that was a perfectly sensible, realistic staging with landscape, interiors, etc. just as one would want. So whatever sent her off the rails for Sonnambula is rather a mystery. Did she do it for Dessay? I saw somewhere that Zimmerman wanted to do a traditional staging for Sonnambula but Dessay persuaded her to go the "Eurotrash" way. If so, shame on Dessay. Double shame.

[Paul]

Tyler, you are so right about zimmerman and she's slated to lay ruin to yet another Met production next year.

As for Dessay---her schtick which was tolerable in La Fille** is just out of bounds and out of context here.

Only Florez managed to bring this absurd production back to it's operatic roots, with his unerring vocal integrity. In so doing his talent seems all most out of place and definitely wasted here.

**and next season the MET is staging La Fille again, this time to acknowledge and fully showcase Florez (with Damrau a worthy replacement for Dessay). They thought Dessay was their star last time, even while Florez stole it handily in all three opera houses staging that joint production.

This marks the first time I'm aware of where the MET is actually staging a production with the intent of truly featuring Florez. Long overdue.

[will]

Very sad is the Met's production of La Cenerentola and very funny La Sonambula. What's becoming of common sense. I might opt for buying cds-the music is great but these productions ogrhhhhhhh!!!!